إنَّي تذكرَّتُ للأيَّام ما كانا

إنَّي تذكرَّتُ للأيَّام ما كانا

فصدَّني ما تصدَّت لي به الآنا

فصدَّني ما تصدَّت لي به الآنا

Indeed, I recalled what the days had been,

I remember the days that are past,

but what they now confronted me with turned me away.

But what happens now keeps those memories from me.

وجرَّ هذا الحَديثُ المُستجدُّ لها

وجرَّ هذا الحَديثُ المُستجدُّ لها

ضَرباً عَلى ما مضَى منها وِنسيانا

ضَرباً عَلى ما مضَى منها وِنسيانا

And this new episode of theirs brought

This new talk makes me forget the old days.

a blotting-out and forgetting of their past.

Say what you wish about the times, but listen:

فاهتِف بما شِئتَ من ذمِّ الزَّمانِ وصد

فاهتِف بما شِئتَ من ذمِّ الزَّمانِ وصد

دِقني تَجِدني عَلى ما قلتُ بُرهانا

دِقني تَجِدني عَلى ما قلتُ بُرهانا

Then cry out whatever censure of Time you wish, and believe—

My words will prove to you what I say.

me: you will find me proof of what I said.

Morning and evening I am in an open prison.

أُمسي وأُصبحُ في سجنٍ بلا غَلقٍ

أُمسي وأُصبحُ في سجنٍ بلا غَلقٍ

دُوني ولستُ أرَى لي فيهِ سَجَّانا

دُوني ولستُ أرَى لي فيهِ سَجَّانا

I pass evening and morning in a prison without a lock

No jailer in sight, yet I am not free.

barring me, and I see no jailer over me there.

My feet are chained, but not with wood or iron.

مقيَّداً مُطلقَ الرِّجلَينِ لا خَشَبٌ

مقيَّداً مُطلقَ الرِّجلَينِ لا خَشَبٌ

ولا حَدِيدٌ ولو كانا إذاً هانا

ولا حَدِيدٌ ولو كانا إذاً هانا

Fettered, yet free in both legs—no wood

I live in a house besieged by spies ―

nor iron; were both there, they would be easy to bear.

As if it were the house of Uthman ibn Affan.

في مَنزلٍ حاصَرتني النائِباتُ بهِ

في مَنزلٍ حاصَرتني النائِباتُ بهِ

كأنَّه دارُ عثمانِ بن عَفَّانا

كأنَّه دارُ عثمانِ بن عَفَّانا

In a house where calamities have besieged me,

People know nothing of my state.

as though it were the house of Uthman ibn Affan.

If the son of Ma’dan were among them, he would know.

والناسُ لاهُونَ عنِّي ما لَهم خَبرٌ

والناسُ لاهُونَ عنِّي ما لَهم خَبرٌ

منِّي وإن كانَ في النَّاسِ ابنُ مَعدانا

منِّي وإن كانَ في النَّاسِ ابنُ مَعدانا

And people are heedless of me; they have no news

When a man’s nature casts off nobility,

of me, although Ibn Ma'dan is among them.

Rascals find open season in his time.

إذا خَلائقُه ألقَت عَوارفَهُ

إذا خَلائقُه ألقَت عَوارفَهُ

ألقَت على نُوبِ الأيَّامِ أعوانا

ألقَت على نُوبِ الأيَّامِ أعوانا

When his virtues bestow his favors,

Look at that man surrounded by his fawning throng.

they send forth helpers against the days' calamities.

Note their distance. See how alone he is.

وإن بَصُرتَ بهِ والقاصِدُونَ لهُ

وإن بَصُرتَ بهِ والقاصِدُونَ لهُ

من حَولهِ خِلتَهُ والنَّاسَ إخوانا

من حَولهِ خِلتَهُ والنَّاسَ إخوانا

And if you see him, with those seeking him

Though he gives generously from his secret hoard,

around him, you would think him and the people brothers.

His hands stay closed to me.

وكم أسرَّ عَطاياهُ فما وَجَدَت

وكم أسرَّ عَطاياهُ فما وَجَدَت

يَداهُ عِندي لذاكَ السرِّ كِتمانا

يَداهُ عِندي لذاكَ السرِّ كِتمانا

And how often he kept his gifts secret, yet

his hands found no concealment of that secret with me.